Featured Insights

In our world today, consumers live an increasingly “hyper-connected, hyper-life” - they are more stretched than ever before and are striving to repurpose their time and effort, searching for simpler, easier, more pleasant and purposeful ways of living… including shopping.

The seventh Nielsen Africa Prospects report highlights shifting country priorities and sources of potential, with multi-dimensional, comparative indicators. The report also includes a special feature on business priorities across Sub-Saharan Africa for the upcoming year.

In this webinar, we explore the regions where consumers have experienced the biggest improvement in their financial situations since 2016. We also discuss consumers’ changing spending behavior on fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) categories over the past five years.

Backed by improving global consumer confidence, many regions are seeing improved conditions for businesses and the fast-moving consumer goods industry. Here, we’ll look at trends in a few select countries.

In contrast to the ongoing market challenges facing global fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) manufacturers and retailers, consumers are in better spirits than they were at the end of 2016. In fact, global consumer confidence has risen three index points since the close of last year.

Global consumer confidence increased modestly in 2016, a time of great political and economic change around the world, rising three points between the first and fourth quarters to 101. Confidence scores finished the year more strongly than they began in every region except Africa/Middle East.

While the third quarter of 2016 saw considerable economic diversity across the markets measured by Nielsen’s Global Survey, consumer confidence in the U.S. remained on solid footing with a score of 106, despite a decline of seven points from the second quarter.

Third-quarter 2016 global consumer confidence remained stable at 99, up one point from the second quarter and unchanged from third-quarter 2015. Country-level scores, however, varied dramatically throughout the regions, reflecting considerable economic diversity around the world.

Third-quarter global consumer confidence increased one point from the second quarter to 99. Country-level scores, however, varied dramatically throughout the regions, reflecting considerable economic diversity around the world.

Global consumer confidence held steady in the second quarter of 2016 at 98, an index score that was flat from the first quarter and two points higher than a year earlier. North America was the only region to sustain growth momentum in the second quarter, demonstrating a three-point increase in confidence to 111.

Global consumer confidence remained stable in the first quarter and below the optimism baseline score of 100, edging up one index point to 98. The score reflected mixed confidence levels reported in every region.

Consumer confidence showed a downward trend in Q1 2016 in some countries that are reliant on oil production. In particular, confidence in the UAE and Saudi Arabia remained above the optimism baseline, but declined from the previous quarter.

Global consumer confidence remained stable in the first quarter and below the optimism baseline score of 100, edging up one index point to 98. The score reflected mixed confidence levels reported in every region.

Once we’ve covered our essential living expenses, how do we spend the money left over? Whether we stash our spare cash for retirement, invest it to try and make more, or purchase new products, strategies differ around the world.

More than half (55%) of respondents around the world believed they were in recession in the fourth quarter of 2015, a modest increase from the start of that year (53%)—and a level that often exceeds official economic definitions.

Global consumer confidence ended 2015 on a subdued note as the index declined two points from the third quarter to 97—the same score as the start of the year. Europe was the only region to show consistent confidence improvements throughout the year across all three indicators (job prospects, personal finances and intentions to buy).

To find out how much attitudes about finances differ by age, we asked Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X, Baby Boomer and Silent Generation respondents about their saving strategies and debt decisions. It turns out that no matter the age, most of us need sound financial advice.

Morocco marked its first introduction to the Nielsen’s consumer confidence survey in the third quarter with an index score of 85. This quarter’s addition of Morocco brings the total number of countries surveyed to 61, globally.

Third-quarter consumer confidence declined in eight of 14 countries in the Asia-Pacific region for an overall score of 106, a regional decline of one index point from the previous quarter. Australia and South Korea each showed the biggest quarterly confidence increases in the region, while confidence declined in Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China and Japan.

U.S. consumer confidence jumped 18 index points in the third quarter of 2015 to a score of 119 after a six-point decline in the previous quarter. The score marked the biggest quarterly increase and the highest index for the country in Nielsen’s 10-year consumer confidence history.

Global consumer confidence increased three index points in the third quarter to 99. Optimistic sentiment for job prospects, personal finances and spending intentions increased in nearly half of all measured markets, but uneven growth continues around the world as confidence stabilizes or grows in many advanced economies and declines in many emerging markets.

Global consumer confidence increased three index points in the third quarter to 99, the highest level since 2006, and optimistic sentiment for job prospects, personal finances and spending intentions increased in nearly half of all measured markets.

In 1990, 57% of Southeast Asia was in poverty and access to daily necessities one could afford was not to be taken for granted. Today, so much has changed that a new niche at the high end of the affordability spectrum has emerged to fan the aspirations of consumers – premiumization.

Consumer confidence in the second quarter of 2015 increased eight index points in Kenya to 112 and three points in Nigeria to 132—the highest score of the three countries measured in Nielsen’s mobile consumer confidence survey in sub-Saharan Africa.

Consumer confidence in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had the highest index of five countries measured by Nielsen in Middle East/Africa region (108), but the country's confidence decreased seven points from the first quarter—the biggest quarterly decline in six years.

The way we view the economy and what’s in our wallets can have a direct impact on our willingness to spend and save. As such, it’s no surprise that changes in consumer confidence can influence the actions consumers say they take to save on household expenses. And as global consumer confidence declined in Q2, saving strategies continued to permeate the mindset of consumers around the world.

Global consumer confidence declined one index point in the second quarter to a score of 96. Regionally, confidence continued to rise in Europe, increasing two points to 79. Confidence held steady in Asia-Pacific, but fell in the three remaining regions.

Global consumer confidence declined one index point in the second quarter to a score of 96. This near-baseline score reflects an overall stable outlook, but uneven performance at the country level increased within regions.

In Q1, Millennial respondents were more eager to spend—especially those in the 25-29 age range. In fact, their spending intent for holidays/vacations, new clothes and out-of-home entertainment exceeded the global averages by as much 10 percentage points.

Global consumer confidence started 2015 with an index score of 97—an increase of one point from fourth-quarter 2014 and from a year-ago. Compared to the end of last year, when all regional confidence scores declined, the first quarter was more upbeat, as confidence increased slightly or remained stable in every region except Latin America.

Consumer Confidence in the Middle East/Africa region dipped one-index point in the fourth quarter, ending 2014 with a score of 95. The score marked a five-point increase from the fourth quarter of 2013. Among the five countries measured in the region, three saw quarterly consumer confidence increases and two saw declines.

Global consumer confidence ended 2014 with an index score of 96—a decline of two index points from the previous quarter, which comes after several quarters of positive momentum. The index, which has been on a slow and steady rise for about two years, is still above a pre-recession level of 94 from third-quarter 2007.

Global consumer confidence edged up one index point in the third quarter to a score of 98—up from 97 in the previous quarter and up two points from the start of the year. The index, which has been on a slow and steady rise since Q1 2012, has now exceeded a pre-recession level of 94 for three consecutive quarters.

Successful companies in the private sector have gained deep insight into consumer psychology and individual and collective decision-making. Public policy leaders and program managers can make use of these insights to improve significantly the likelihood of success in achieving their policy goals.

The “mass affluent” are wealthier than the average Joe but represent just 12 percent of U.S. households, making them notoriously difficult to find and engage. Fortunately, their active online presence presents an intriguing opportunity for marketers to use digital precision marketing to reach this elusive audience while protecting their privacy.

The mass affluent only represent 12 percent of U.S. households, so reaching this highly concentrated group can be difficult. However, the mass affluent have a strong online presence, and digital precision marketing has become an effective way to reach this valuable audience.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. But when fruit doesn’t cure what ails you, a solid health and wellness plan might just do the trick. China, which is on pace to produce 37.5 million metric tons of apples in 2013, leads the globe in terms of saving for health-related issues (63%), with the greater Asia-Pacific region close behind (55%).

How prepared are we for a broken water heater or an air conditioner on the fritz? To help understand how consumers around the world save and invest for household emergencies, Nielsen conducted a global study about current and future financial goals and the strategies we use to prepare for them.

Regardless of where we live or how much money we have in the bank, staying on track to reach our financial goals takes a dedicated commitment. And when it comes to saving for retirement, many global consumers are putting that commitment on hold for the time being.

Managing money can be difficult no matter where we live, and in many cases, it feels like we spend our cash before we earn it. In fact, Nielsen reports that globally, we save or invest just 10 percent of our monthly income on average. But is that enough?

Managing money can be difficult no matter where we live, and in many cases, it feels like we spend our cash before we earn it. In fact, Nielsen reports that globally, we save or invest just 10 percent of our monthly income on average. But is that enough?